Liquid dispensing device



Dec.16, 1947. CQANEWMA 2,432,923 I I I LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 2:5, 194s INVEIZVTOR, BY 6L. M W

Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Carl A. Newman, Irondequoit, N. Y.

Application March 23, 1946, Serial No. 656,557

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to liquid dispensing de vices of a kind used for measuring a definite amount of liquid to be dispensed from a bottle, jug, or the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this kind in which the liquid poured from a bottle itself operates devices for limiting the amount of liquid dispensed at one time to a predetermined meas ured quantity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind in which the movable parts are returned to initial position by the liquid itself.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this kind in which the flow of the liquid is controlled by a bodily movable valve which is operated by the flow of the liquid.

These and other desirable objects are accomplished by the construction disclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a liquid dispenser constructed according to one possible embodiment of the invention and shown in position on a bottle;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the device somewhat enlarged;

Fig. 3 is a side view of an outer or measuring tube;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the same;

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and plan views, respectively, of a valve seat detached from the outer tube;

Figs. '7 and 8 are side and end views, respectively, of an outer perforated tube;

Figs. 9 and 10 are side and end views, respectively, of a valve member;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a part of the valve member;

Fig. 12 is a side view of a worm for operating the valve;

Fig. 13 is detail View of a liquid driven wheel;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-44 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line l5-l5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 16 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line Iii-l6 of Fig. 2.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The form of the invention illustrated herein is especially designed for use on a bottle from which it is desired to dispense liquors, such as I has a tube 2| of glass or other suitable material extending therethrough and into the bottle for admitting air to maintain the atmospheric pressure within the bottle.

Seated in the outer end of the hollow connector or sto per [1 is a short tube 23, preferably constructed of substantially transparent plastic, or glass, that has an enlarged internal diameter for increasing its capacity.

" Seated in the upper or outer end of the short tube 23 is an outer tube 25 of cylindrical form and preferably constructed of substantially transparent plastic or similar material and constitutes. in effect, a reservoir and conduit for the liquid dispensed. Mounted in the outer end of the tube 25 is a restricted pouring spout 21. also of transparent material, which may be secured therein by any suitable means, as by friction or cement, or it may be formed integrally with the tube 25.

Seated within the tube 25 and concentric therewith is a perforated tube 29, of smaller diameter and slightly shorter than the tue 25. The perforated tube 29 is retained in the tube 25 by engagement with an annular valve seat 3| secured by a frictional fit or by transparent cement in the tube 25 adjacent its outer end, and has an annular rim 26 in which the outer end of the tube 29 is secured by friction or transparent cement. Thus the valve seat surrounds the outer end of the perforated tube 29 and is secured to both of said tubes. At its inner end the tube '29 is seated in an annular groove in a s ider 33 I secured to both the perforated and outer tubes by means of friction or cement and has openings for permitting liquid to flow therethro h. By this arrangement, the perforated tube 29 is fixed within and concentric with the outer tube 25 and surrounds the opening in the valve seat 3| at its outer end.

' Arranged within the perforated tube 29 is a valvemember in the form of a perforated tube 35 slidable axially in the tube 29 and held against rotation relativelv to said tube by means of a tongue in the form of a stud or lug 31 projecting inwardly from the tube 29 and en agin a 1m gitudinal groove 39 in the outer wall of the valve 35. Said tube 35 is considerably shorter than the tube 29, in which it is axially slidable to and from engagement with the valve seat 3| at the outer end of the tube 29. and it has its outer end closed by means of a plug 4| retained therein 3 by friction or cement and movable into engagement with the valve seat 3| for preventing the escape of liquid from the tube 25 when it engages the Valve seat. The groove 39 stop-s short of the forward end of the tube 35, so as not to destroy the liquid tightness of the valve.

Means are provided for moving the valve member axially in the perforated tube to move the valve to and from engagement with its seat. Said means comprises a screw or w'rm42having a spiral groove and arranged inside'the perforated tubular valve 35 and rotatable relatively thereto. The screw 62 has a bearing in the spider 33 and has a shoulder engagingthe inner wall of the spider to provide a thrust bearing therefor. The screw has a reducedshaft' portion projecting inwardly through said spider and has a liquid driven wheel 44 secured to its inner end. A spacer sleeve 46 between the wheel and (the bearing spider 33 serves to prevent axial movement-cf the screw-42. Thevalvetube35 haszan inwardly projectingmember toengagethespiral groove of .the'screw. thisimember preferably being in-the-formof a-tiny bead or roller .48'rotatable on ,a stud 4-9 fixed in :the -wall1of the tube 35. -Since:the-tube 35 is held-ageinst rotation in'the tube :2-9,'rotationof-=the screw 42 inone direction or the-other .will-cause an axial-"movement of the-slidable valvein one direction or-the-other to and'from engagsment with itsxseat.

-In operatingithe device for dispensingliquid, it is seatedaon abottleor other liquid-container, as seen ini-Fig. 1, and istipped to permit i'theliquid to;fiow-from the bottle. ;-The liquid engages the *wheel i l which is made l ke azfan withobliqueg blades-very close together so thateven aslight flow of liqu dwillturniit and with itithe screw 42, to which it is-secured. .Rotation of the-sp ral screw 'inithe direction :causedby outward=fiowof liquid moves the valv 35.-axial ly within thetube -29 until 'itireaches'the limit of'its movement by ,engagement'with' the va'lve seat, at'whfchztime the flow of liquid is shut off. The proportions of the wheel .44 and the pitch of the worm :or screw' thread -4'2-are so designed-with respect to-the 'length'of thepath. of travel orthe'valve'member 35, that at 'thertime'the desired measured-quantitynof liquid has :passed through the valve seat ,3 I .:the valve comes into-contact-with the-seats-andstops the flow. That,partiof the outer tube 25-which liesrearwardlyor inwardly from 'the valve seat 3| .will .now-be full of liquid. The bottle=isithen tiltedbackto-its normal upright position, whereupon the liquid in the tube 25 flows back ina reverse direction through the spider 33 and the. wvheelAi-rotatingthe wheel-in the reverse direction and drawingthe valvemember .35 backinwardly a-way-fromthe valve seat, to the'extreme innerzendof itspath-Qf-travel. -The tube 2-5 is made :of sufiicient size so the liquid lcapacity thereof is a little more-than enough-to insure adequat rotation of the .wheel 44 and screw 42 to draw the valve member,35 all'the way back, ready for the-next forward stroke duringthe next liquid-measuring operation; Hence theatube 25.

may be considered asa reservoirho-lding a supply of liqud to furnish power'to restorethe-parts to their initial position. It lSzIlOtGd that-the-Wheel M-is of thefull diameterof the tube 2-5'or even of slightly larger diameter, as seenin Fig.2, so that the oblique blades of the wheel willbe in the path ofjandbe infiuenced by;anyfiow of liquid, even if the-flow be-very slight.

A device of this kind-is especially useful in measuring small quantities of .fllQHQI'HZO'bBipQJ- IBG 5 drinking glass.

directly from the bottle into the drinking glass, thus elim nating the use of a separate measuring glass or jigger and the attendant liability to spill when pouring from the jigger into the The device will usually be constructed to measure, say, one fluid ounce at each operation, though it may be made in a size to dispense three-quarters of an ounce or any other desired quantity.

The. principal parts'o'f 'ther'device, beyond the stopper or "connector P7, are preferably made of transparent plastic material, and preferably the screw 42, valve tube 35, guide tube 29, and resiervcir-tube 25 are all made of different colors or tints, so that as the various parts move during ':;ioperation,'the movement is clearly visible and $09.41), be followed readily by the eyes of the cus- "tomer whose drink is being poured, who will find this-device an interesting and fascinating novelty.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosure that a construction is provided whch-admirably fulfillsthe above-mentioned objectsof the invention. It is t beunderstood that the foregoing dis-closure is given by way of illustrative example only, rather than-by way of limitation, and that Without departing from the invention, the construction may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A liquid dispenser comprising anoutertube,

a second tube fixed within the ,outer,tube, said second tube having openings through .its side walls, avalve movable within and guided by said .second tube for stopping-the-fiow of liquid from the outer tube, and means actuated by the flow of theliquid for operating said-valve.

2. A liquid dispenser comprising a tube from which liquid may be dispensed, a valve for stopping thefiow of liquid therefrom, and rotary {49 meansactuated by the flowv ofthe liquidfor operating said valve, said rotary means being vlocated on the upstream side of saidvalve and being rotated in a reversedirection by reverse flow of lquid trapped between said valve and said rotary means at the conclusion of a dispensingoporation, to open said valve.

3. A liquid dispenser comprising a tube, avalve movable axially thereinforstopping the How of liquid therefrom, a spiral screw for operating the valve, and a, current-operated wheel on the upstream side of said valve operatively connected to said screw to turn the same to operate said valve.

4. A liquid dispenser comprising an outertube, a second tube fixed therein, anaxially movable valve'in said second tube fixed against rotation thereinand operable to stop the flowv ofliquid from the first mentionedtube, a spiral screw for operating said valve, and a liquid actuated wheel for operating the said spiral screw.

5. ,A liquid dispenser comprising a tubefrom which liquid may be.dispensed,. an axially movable valve therein for stopping the flow of l-iquidtherefrom, a rotatable spiral screw substantially in axial alinement with said -valve,.means on said 5 valve engaging the thread of-said spiral screw for moving the valve to.stop.the.fiow of liquid, and a wheel actuated bythe flowof the liquid for actuating the spiral screw.

6. A liquid dispenser comprising a :tube-f-rom ,70 which liquid may be dispensed, an axially mov- ,,axially within said tubular portion of saidival ve,

the second tube for stopping the flow of liquid.

from said outer tube, a spiral screw for operating said valve, a spider fixed in said outer tube in which the spiral screw is rotatably mounted, and a wheel fixed on said spiral screw and adapted to be rotated by the flow of the liquid.

8. A liquid dispenser comprising an outer tube having an outlet at one end and adapted to have its other end connected with a liquid container, a perforated tube fixed in said outer tube, a valve having a tubular stem movable axially in said perforated tube but fixed against rotation therein, a screw operatively engaged with saidvalve stem, and means actuated by the liquid for rotating said screw.

9. A liquid dispenser comprising a tube from which liquid may be dispensed, a valve seat in said tube, a valve movable bodily to and from engagement with said valve seat, means in said tube for guiding said valve, and means actuated by the flow of the liquid for moving the valve to and from engagement with the valve seat.

10. A liquid dispenser for attachment to a bottle to dispense a measured quantity of liquid therefrom at each operation, said dispenser comprising a reservoir having an inlet end connected to said bottle and an outlet end from which liquid may be poured, a valve seat adjacent said outlet end a valve member movable within said reservoir toward and away from said valve seat, and liquidflow-operated means adjacent the inlet end of said reservoir for gradually moving said valve member toward said valve seat as liquid flows from the bottle into said reservoir and for moving said valve member away from said valve seat as liquid in said reservoir flows back into the bottle.

11. A construction as described in claim 10, in which said liquid-flow-operated means includes a rotary wheel with oblique blades turned in one direction by flow of liquid from the bottle into said reservoir and turned in the opposite direction by flow of liquid from said reservoir into the bottle.

12. A construction as described in claim 10, in which said liquid-flow-operated means includes a screw member, means operated by flow of liquid for turning said screw member, and an operative connection between said screw member and said valve member to move said valve member longitudinally upon turning of said screw member.

13. A liquid dispenser for attachment to a bottle to dispense a measure-d quantity of liquid therefrom at each operation, said dispenser comprising a reservoir having an inlet end connected to said bottle and an outlet end from which liquid may be poured, a valve seat adjacent said outlet end, a foraminous tubular guiding member within said reservoir, a foraminous tubular valve member mounted to slide within said guiding member, said valve member having one end adapted when at one position to engage said valve seat to prevent flow of liquid therethrough, cooperating parts on said valve member and said guiding member to prevent rotation of said valve member within said guiding member while permitting longitudinal movement of said valve member therein, an operating member rotatable within said valve member, said operating member having a helical slot therein, means holding said operating member against longitudinal movement relative to said guiding member, a projection on said valve member extending into said helical slot so that as said operating member is turned, said valve member is moved longitudinally, and a wheel having relatively closely spaced oblique blades fixed to said operating member adjacent said inlet end of said reservoir and so arranged that liquid flowing from the bottle into said reservoir will flow past said oblique blades and turn said wheel to turn said operating member to move said valve member longitudinally into contact with said valve seat, and so that liquid flowing from said reservoir back into the bottle will turn said oblique blades in the opposite direction and move said valve member longitudinally away from said valve seat.

CARL A. NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 844,180 Nilson Feb. 12, 1907 1,767,561 Stadden June 24, 1930 2,150,082 Sprunger Mar. 7, 1939 

